Nesting Geese

It appears we have three of four sets of geese trying to make nests down by the lake. I checked to see how we would deter this behavior (because they often repeat year after year) and without purchasing a liquid repellent, it almost seems impossible since I can't be down there 24/7 to curb their behavior. I guess we'll have some little goslings in a few weeks.  

Meanwhile, still working on Donna's Dahlia quilt; not even half way yet. Had a few customers yesterday doing both pick up and drop offs. 

Here's the filler I'm putting in all the negative space...

Feather and Swirl filler

This is my sole focus today and we are expecting uninterrupted sunshine which will be nice to work by with the white on white. A little jazz playing in the background will round out this perfect day. 

Studio update: We laid more floor last night and we are a little over a third done. 

Love the sunshine!

Through those big windows we put in, the sun shining in is lovely. We would have continued on but 1) We were running out of daylight and doing flooring by candlelight is not advised and 2) We ran out of our first bucket of 700 screws. It's always one thing or another isn't it? 

Windy Today

It is windy out there, but I don't think it's so bad that I can't work on the big machines. Here's the border on what Donn'a Dahlia is getting...

Feathers and channeling

I have a swirly feather something or another I'm going to put into the background I think, but I'll be working on this piece all day today. I didn't think I was going to be able to get to this quilt yesterday, but I hustled on Bernadettes quilt to see if I could at least get it started.

Jim picked up some more boards for the flooring so while he was working on sanding and trimming, I was putting together the sashing and cornerstones for the make-it-up-as-you-go top. 

I have a customer coming to pick up later this afternoon. Had one drop off late yesterday afternoon and I have a couple coming on Friday. So far.

And what's with this crazy weather? Yesterday was February, right?

And it got even warmer after this pic was taken

And today we have freezing temps and some snow spitting out there. Only in Michigan.

I Better Make Today Work

There are severe wind advisories out for tomorrow. High winds = no long arming. And, I have a LOT of administrative work to do and usually wait until non-long arming days to take care of all of that. I'm behind at least by a month. On Friday, it'll be two.  

And that's the boring (and reality) of owning your own business. 

Here's some of the quilting going into Bernie's quilt. She wanted to make sure the appliqué "popped" up...

It's a poppin'!

No, I'm not finished with that piece yet. Yes, I plan on working on it all day today. There were apparently just too many calls/texts I was dealing with yesterday to finish it. No, I will probably not even begin Donna's quilt sitting on DW waiting for me to start because all those pebbles take For-e-ver! 

After we got back home from the tax preparers last night, Jim exhausted all the flooring boards we had here. He's on row 19 of approximately 84. I started a make-it-up-as-you-go project. Take one panel, add in some blocks, add in some sashing, put a border (or two) on it and you have a really cute throw. 

Creating something new

I have no pattern for this. I'm just thinking outside the box, if you will. 

No Sewing

I didn't sew a single stitch yesterday. But we did start the main room floor in the new studio. 

Getting started...

...and this is where we ended before running out of boards...

About 1/4 of the way done

It smells so good in there with all the cedar!

Then Lucy and I took a nap together...

So. Darn. Cute!

I'll be working on Bernadettes first appliqué quilt today. Don't know if it will be finished since all those little pebbles take a while to do but I'm going to try my hardest. 

I have a few phone calls to make/return this morning first thing and we have to run to the tax preparers office later this afternoon; those take priority today. 

A Mixed Bag

Yesterday was a mixed bag of things we did around the place. First, I loaded this quilt onto DW...

Donna's Dahlia

Then I went into the new bathroom and stared screwing in the flooring...

Getting the floor screwed in

I ran out of drill battery and the second battery wasn't charged either, so while I was waiting for the charges, I made these...

Shamrock Bunting

After those were done, the first battery was ready to go. While I was screwing flooring, Jim was sanding for the next batch of boards...

It wasn't any too warm out there.

And despite the cold temps, he persevered and got the next go around finished. He decided that the ends weren't exactly correct, so he then chopped sawed them to get them at the correct angle.

Today we may work on starting in the main room since the bathroom is completed. He has a b-ball game this afternoon, and I'm ready for an afternoon of relaxation since we've been running hard this week so not sure if any sewing is going to get done today. 

Thinking Ahead

I love starting a new quilt. While I'm ditching in I think about all the spaces I need to fill and what I'm going to put in there. Oftentimes the quilt is already sketched on my iPad, but not always. This is one of those times. 

The quilt was hanging on Bernie waiting for me to put thread down and I was able to view it over the course of a couple of days to plan my quilting strategy. It is there I too formulate what would look good in it and make it cohesive to what the customer is asking for. 

She wanted her appliqué to "pop" off the quilt and we double batted to make sure it would do this. And, it's a wall hanging and double batting will give the quilt stability while all that weight is pulling down (thank you gravity). 

Here's the start of what's going into Bernies first appliqué quilt...

"Pushing" the background down

Here's a better pic of how everything will pop up once all the pebbling is done...

Rising to the occasion

I don't know if I'll work on this today. We have flooring that needs to be screwed in (that's my job) but Jim needs to do a "test" run of screw placement to see how we are going to stagger them throughout the job. I may work for just a few hours and then start in the [new] studio with construction stuff. 

A Quick Check-In

Bernadette's Oliver Baby Quilt is done. Here's some of the quilting that went into it...

Spartan things and background fills

It's off the frame now and I'll be moving along to her First Appliqué quilt once I return home. Nails first thing this morning.

Jim started the flooring in the bathroom...

Lucy is inspecting

And this is where he ended before he ran out of daylight...

The little "closet" wall is done too!

None of these are screwed in yet. We have to go this evening and purchase brown screws because the green screws just aren't going to cut it. It smells so good in there (it's white cedar) but unfortunately, the finish we'll put on will cover up the smell. 

Change of Plans

I decided to offload the Ginny quilt yesterday quickly and then load this quilt onto DW...

Olivers Quilt

This is a time sensitive quilt that goes with one (or more) others. One of those is on Bernie right now. I've already started this charming piece and will post pics tomorrow on some of the quilting going in. But for now, my focus is on this one today instead of yesterdays plan to work on the other one. 

Jim picked up the first of our flooring yesterday. He started sanding those last night and we may start installing this evening. The bathroom has to be done first since we have a plumber waiting to get in there to do what he needs to do.

While on the phone with the insurance company I was able to press and trim the 4-patches needed for the Sew Very Easy mystery QAL. My homework for this month is now complete. And that means...I can start something new. I have ZERO WIPS in house right now. Can you believe that? I'm having a hard time believing it myself!

As Expected

Sun three days in a row in February is not normal. We are following the normal pattern in that it's back to cloudy today. 

Neighbors are expected up later, but this morning I'm hoping to get Boho Heart done. Not sure why it only took me one day to do the first half and now a day and a half to finish the second half. I felt like I was pretty productive yesterday?!

I got the ceiling done in the bathroom and we are done with all the major painting. Still have some trim around the adjoining door frame, and the doors themselves, but not until we get some consistent warmer weather. 

Bathroom painted

The spray foam insulation you see in the background will be covered with wood instead of drywall. Jim hasn't gotten to that yet.

But he has the windows all trimmed...

Looks better than the foam poking out

And he worked on the door frame as well last night. 

Boho Heart this morning and then I'll move on to Bernadettes 1st appliqué quilt on Bernie. And after removing Ginny's quilt, frame ironing the back of the next quilt on DW. Hopefully all of this will be done before the neighbors arrive. 

Sun Two Days in a Row?

I heard another Robin yesterday and some other spring birds chirping in the sunshine. We've killed two mosquitoes in the house. What's up with that? 

Here's some of the quilting going into Ginny's Boho Heart...

Wandering Feathers and Pebbles

Here's what was loaded onto Bernie yesterday...

Bernadettes First Applique

Her other "rush" quilt has to wait to get onto DW because I have to get some Spartan things in there and the ProStitcher does all of those. 

After long arming yesterday, I found a bag of blocks that I had cut in January or thereabouts. I didn't know at first what the heck they were. I then remembered I'm doing a mystery quilt-along with Sew Very Easy and that was our January homework. February is making 74 4-patches, so I started those last night while Jim was working on trim and the doorframe into the main house. 

I've already got my painting clothes on for later this evening. I have to repaint the bathroom ceiling tonight because I messed it up while doing the walls. I hope I don't get a call that somebody wants to come over today because I'm not dressed the best. 😀

Odds and Ends

I tidied up the studio yesterday and removed this from Bernie...

Make More

Here's some of the quilting it received...

My first quilt in five months on the frame

But, alas, it had to be removed before today, so it's quilted and hanging while waiting for binding. 

Jim was doing this...

Starting the closet

While I was doing this...

Large drawstring bag

Kimberly Jolly posted this recently on her YouTube channel (Fat Quarter Shop). I wanted to make a prototype to see how easy this one was, and it only took a little over an hour, including finding some fabric and pressing and cutting said fabric. 

I think I'm going to make more of these for customers to take their trimmings in. I have enough fabric in my stash instead of purchasing more paper to stuff into our landfills. I chose to use one piece of fabric for the prototype but I can certainly put together strips and use the small-piece stash up that way. 

We have a  sunny (but very cold) day today and I'll be working on the Boho Heart on DW while frame ironing for the next Bernie quilt. Happy Monday. 

Backwards Day

Things started out backwards today. First, working in the new studio while the sun was showing itself for a change. I was finally able to cross "painting" off of our work list as the bathroom is now painted...

A different color than the main room

Jim is working on the interior window trim...

Trimming

And I've gotten about as much "me" projects completed that I'm able. The rest is up to the man and only if he needs my assistance in holding/measuring/bracing/carrying/screwing/nailing/moving will I be much more. 

Meanwhile, Ginny's Quail quilt is done. Here's the finished piece...

Isn't it perty?

Before I could finish it though, Bernie and I had to come to an understanding. Well, not Bernie, but the frame he lives on...

More tools of the trade

Bernie runs parallel to the wood flooring underneath him. Every time we get a change in humidity (like last week when it was warm and much more humid) he fluctuates his levelness. DW doesn't do this because he runs perpendicular to the wood flooring. And, Jim said there is only one subfloor layer below the wood causing it to fluctuate at such a high rate. 

The unfortunate thing about this is that I leveled yesterday, and next week he'll be all cattywumpus again. Can't wait to get into the new digs!!!!!!!!!

Today, now that I've done my new studio work, I'll get into the current studio. It's border weekend. The Starts and Shadows is fully bordered and I'm going to work on others sitting here waiting for theirs. 

Happy Friday

I can not believe it's Friday already. Ginny's first quilt is almost done. Just a few odds and ends to go back and snug up. I'll be starting her Boho heart later today.

We have a plumber coming to bid the bathroom, a customer coming to pick up and drop off, and that will pretty much shoot the morning hours.

I won't get much quilting done in the afternoon hours; tax appointment mid-afternoon and then off to do some grocery shopping afterwards. 

Here's our winter back. This pic reminds me of the Kim Anderson photos where everything is black and white except for one colored item. The Bellers' paddle boat is that item...

One bit of color

Happy Friday and have a  good weekend!

Winter II

Yep, our second winter has arrived. We have three inches on the ground so far and it's still coming down. It is sooo pretty!

Here's some of the quilting going into Ginny's Quail quilt...

Still so stinkin' cute!

This quilt top makes me smile when I'm working on it. 

Linda's quilt was taken off DW. His poles were exchanged and now this top is on DW...

Boho Heart

Tula Pink (I think it was her) did a similar type of heart a few years back. This pattern is designed by Jen Kingwell. I'll be working on this maybe later today, but more likely tomorrow. The Quails are taking a little longer than I expected. I'm throwing down a lot of thread.

Jim and I had to re-level Bernie yesterday. He's hanging up on the center section (again) and his head kept shimmying to the left. I can't wait to get moved into the new studio so all this floor flucuating isn't going to occur. 

While Jim was touching up the ceiling in the new studio last night, I was able to get the first set of borders on Stars and Shadows. One more border to go. 

Sending Love Your Way on Valentines Day!

Linda's quilt is coming off the frame today after I deal with this...

Not sure what's going on here????

I have to change out the belly bar afterwards because the lighter bar used to hold the tops isn't up to my leaning on it. 

While I'm frame ironing for the next quilt going onto DW, I'll be working on this one on Bernie...

Quails anyone?

Isn't this just so darn pretty? I love to work on appliqué quilts. So much detail and I can see what the quilt maker has put into them while doing so. 

After working on Lindas quilt yesterday, and after meeting a brand new customer (we hit it off right off the bat), I headed to the new studio to repaint the north wall. See the difference?

New color on the left. Much better!

Jim was on the phone with a new insurance company when I started the painting and after he finished he headed to the bathroom to prime...

Priming isn't fun

We have snow in our near future, so they say. Meanwhile, Happy Valentines Day!💘

Has Spring Really Arrived?

Signs of spring are everywhere. I rely on the wildlife to indicate weather patterns. Robins already being heard. Geese already migrating back north. The gurgling ducks are already here. Even the chipmunks seem to be chirping their presence. Jim has seen plenty of raccoons, possums, and even skunks dead along the roadways. All signs of an early spring.

It'll be snowing in May. 

More on Lindas quilt yesterday. Probably only one more day on that one. 

After long arming for the day we needed to do some moving around of stuff in the new studio. The north wall was being used as a parts/storage wall and since I need to work on that wall (as does Jim) over the next few weeks, it needed to be cleaned out. 

I'll be repainting it tonight since the original gray on there is the wrong gray.

After working until nearly dark out there, I wandered back into the current studio and put the main body of the Stars and Shadows quilt together. Two borders to do and it can be added to the flimsy pile. 

Can't wait to quilt this one!

Better Feel

This is a better feel for what the color looks like in the new studio. Different lighting/angle. 

Still showing as a blue hue

Back in the quilting saddle today. Here's some of the quilting going into Lindas quilt...

Channels, feathers, and a lot of thread

Just what the customer ordered! 

We have a  sunny day today so it'll be nice to quilt with the natural light for a change. 

Regular Chores

Sunday is the day we catch up on chores around the house; watering plants, thoroughly vacuuming, hair cuts (if needed), etc. We have the third load of laundry in the washer right now and probably have one more to go. With all the thaw/mud we've been having, the girls are making sure to spread the dirt wealth.

Yesterday was very, very, productive. The whole studio (save for the bathroom) is painted. Jim has a few touch-ups to do on the ceiling, but the bulk is complete. 

I just had to have a  cathedral ceiling

Jim actually rolled up above where I'm at. This is one of the rare pics of me working since I'm usually behind the camera. 

And, nearly finished

I'm not sure why the pic is showing it as a light blue color. It's actually a gray leaning more towards the blue side. But I love the color nonetheless. However, and since we have so much left over, the T-1-11 needs to be repainted now. 

It was painted with a beige-gray, and it's fighting with the blue-gray. Not a problem because it didn't take that long to do the first time. But there's a bunch of stuff leaning up against it right now and until that's removed I can't tackle that project. 

Just Keep Painting

Jim and I hopped on the painting bus first thing this morning. Meaning, no "old" studio work, but a lot of "new" studio work. Jim has a b-ball game he's watching right now meaning we're on a break. 

Here's what's on DW today... 

Isn't this just gorgeous?

Another stunner from Linda M. I actually started this yesterday but haven't yet captured the quilting.

Did I mention I've been working on Stars and Shadows? I have four rows already sewn together and have the next five rows built...

Constructing Stars and Shadows

I bought this kit merely for the quilting that was put into it. It was hanging at Yoders when we were down in Shipshewana and I fell in love. I don't particularly care for assembly line block structure anymore. Been there. I like to do appliqué and art quilts more than a regular pieced quilt but this one will be well worth it once I get it onto the frame. Someday. 

I may continue on with this after I get my shower and the bathrooms cleaned while Jims watching TV. Who knows?

Another Rush

I've had another rush that came in late yesterday afternoon. A catalog deadline. Good thing Tina's quilt is finished, huh? Here's a glimpse at the final section as I was removing it from the frame...

Just before taking it off the frame

As I was removing it, I noticed a section that wasn't yet quilted in the body and thankfully I hadn't pulled off the red snappers. It was a quick fix. Once that was done, and while I was removing said snappers, I noticed this...

Can you see what's wrong?

This is what is called the belly bar. It's the bar that takes up the backing and what long armers lean against to stretch across the width of the top while quilting. The cap is practically coming out of the actual bar section and sitting all cattywampus on the slotted groove. As soon as I pulled off the red snappers, the bar crumbled to the ground.

I tried to fix it for a half hour with no success. When Jim finally arrived home, and while Linda was here, he fixed it in about a minute. Of course, he and Caleb were the guys who put the thing together (and have moved it several times). 

In the meantime, I grabbed the extra bar I use when I actually load a top (remember, a few weeks ago?), reversed the leader, and put it in the belly bar spot. It's not as durable and will have to be changed out once I get through Linda's next quilt; which has the backing already loaded (I did that while she was here), but if I'm mindful, it'll work temporarily. 

Holy Thread Batman

I've had plenty of quilts in the past requiring multiple thread changes. This has to be one of the highest number...

16 (so far)

I rolled the quilt last night before shutting off DW and noticed it will probably require at least one more thread color.

Not expecting any customers today (that often changes) but the immediate outlook is uninterrupted quilting. I SHOULD be able to get Tina's quilt done if that remains the case. And that's basically the plan for the day.

I have mostly sunny skies peeking at me through the windows and the tunes are already on. Ready to quilt Zen. 

Gurgling Ducks

Our "gurgling ducks" have already returned. Well, they aren't actually residents of our lake as they will continue northward in a while, but they are already back and it's way ahead of when they usually return. I think we may be in for an early spring. 

Working on Tina's quilt today (and yesterday). I still can't figure out why it takes as long as it does to set the border(s) in, but here's what we have going on...

The borders of Tinas Flea Market

Jim didn't get home until nearly dark last night therefore we did not run a second coat/touch up of the primer in the new studio. 

Two sets of customers coming today. One to drop off and another to pick up. Hopefully both will be here in the morning so I can crank on Tina's quilt all afternoon.